We moved into our house oooooohhhhh, about three and a half years ago. Time flies when you've bought a fixer upper, yeah? So before we moved in, Joe skimcoated the plaster walls in Audrey's room. I chose Benjamin Moore Grey Wisp, which is such a great shade for a youthful room because it almost feels like a minty green but not in the cloying doctor's office kind of way. We put in a new light fixture, bought a great vintage iron bed, installed black out drapery, annnnnd then just moved in and that’s about it. I've been meaning to finish it off for ages and today Audrey turned seventeen. My baby daughter is SEVENTEEN! 17! One Seven! Look at this face! And the sense of urgency has increased 1000% to finish the space, hang the shelves, etc. etc. It got me to thinking that maybe I'm not the only one that has waited until her child has 1.5 years left in the roost to get around to completing her space, right? RIGHT? Or maybe it's just the typical designer syndrome of tackling her house last.

So while I wish this was a post to share all the cool things we've done in her room, that's not the case. When (not if, WHEN. I promise, Audrey!) I finish her space (goal is the end of the year), I'll dissect it here on the blog and post a billion pics. Literally to get the pic below, I had to push her laundry to the side of the bed and swipe a bunch of coins and other detritus that was on her bedside table into a tray and move it to her desk. I did mention this is a teen room, right? Teen rooms, equal lots of mess! Anyway, I'll be styling another teen room next week, so I thought I would post below some great finds to add to any teen room. as well as some concept boards, so you can see how I pull everything together for all the different room styles!

Audrey’s bedside table

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BED FRAMES THAT RULE

I don't know about your kid, but mine graduated from a twin bed to a double bed at the end of middle school - like teen sprawl is really a thing - their stuff sprawls all over the room and so their bodies also sprawl when they sleep and just need more room for all of their limbs! High school is a great time to make the transition to a larger bed, and while I love using a vintage bed frame whenever possible, here are some great new versions that your daughter may enjoy as well!

BEDDING THAT SHINES

Your teen has likely graduated from the bedding of their youth and is now wanting something that will help showcase their tastes now. So finding the right bedding can help determine how good your kid sleeps. No really. Pretty bedding makes ALLL the difference for a good night’s sleep. Don’t believe me? Have you ever gone to one of those hotels with bedding that feels like stale bread and you wonder the last time it was washed? I don’t know about you, but that’s a bad night’s sleep. So do your kid a favor and get them the cool bedding. Sigh. The bedding struggle is really real. Keeping with the bed frame themes in the previous section, here are some bedding options that I think work nicely with its buddy bed frame.

BLACKOUT CURTAINS THAT BLOCK THE SUN LIKE THAT’S ITS JOB

Blackout drapery panels are ideal for a teen room, if you can get them to put down their phones - the blue light is way worse then moonlight or a street lamp, me thinks. We used to have rules for Audrey - no phone after 10pm, etc. etc. But now that she's a junior in high school, we don't micromanage that stuff. She needs to learn how to put herself to bed, wake up from bed, get herself ready and out the door in time now, while under our umbrella, so real life without a mommy won't be a huge shock to her when she heads to college. So far, so good - most days she's out of the door before I've wiped the sleep from my eyes. Independent children are the best! I like to think that her blackout curtains are helping her function in society. So here's some suggestions for your kid’s room that oughta do the trick.

DESKS THAT’LL ENCOURAGE ALL THE HOMEWORK

One of the best things that we did since moving in was taking out the 3 sets of bookshelves Audrey had in her room holding her hundred(s?) of books and replacing it with a custom desk that I designed and Joe built. It's beautiful and functional, and I'll definitely cover it on a future post, but Audrey sits there doing homework or working on her various extracurricular projects for hours a day. She loves having a dedicated, quiet, private place to do her work, so if you too have a scholastically inclined student and space in their room, a desk is an addition than none of you will regret. Here are some small format desks and chairs that will provide a great respite for your teen bedroom.

NOW PULL IT ALL TOGETHER IN A ROOM YOUR TEEN WILL LOVE!

Once you’ve identified what style your teen gravitates toward and picked out some of the central pieces, the next part is pulling it all together with the rest of what you’ll need for their space. I love to make items, upcycle them or go scouting thrift and antique stores. They’re all really great ways to fill any space with depth. BUT I understand that takes a lot of time to do it that way, so I’ve pulled together some pretty complete looks for each room type.

FOR THE TEEN WHO’S A LITTLE BIT BOHO

I really liked the idea of playing with a monochromatic look for this boho space even though a cornerstone of the bohemian look is a lot of color. The idea here is that the space will be filled with plants that will then become the focus of the room. Each of the decor items are shades of black, white and grey with a few wooden elements to warm things up and then loads of plants, like all the plants. Hang them from the wall, place them on the floor and on bookshelves and on the desk, and you get the idea. Put your kid on a weekly watering schedule and feed the plants every six months or so. It will be an easy way to teach responsibility, and if your teen is a little bit bohemian, they’ll leap at the chance to create their own jungalow.

Use the below image as a guide. The links to each item are below - you’ll see that I included a few small businesses from Seattle in the mix too!

Bring on the pink for your glam teen! I love the idea of tempering it with grey. They are SUCH a great color combo - one of my faves actually since I was a kid. Add in some fur elements, an Audrey Hepburn print, of course, and a crystal chandelier - the very essence of glam. Confession - I actually really like this set up for a glam-leaning adult, so feel free to transition this space to your guest room once your kid flies the roost. Nothing like a little glam to make your guests feel like you’ve rolled out the red (pink) carpet!

Too young to watch Mad Men (I assume - I pass no judgement on your household), but nonetheless, your teen has developed an affinity for clean, beautiful lines. This is definitely a great opportunity to find some cool vintage pieces to add a touch of authenticity to the room, but have fun with how you add color - add a mix and you won’t regret it. See below how I’ve added the color blocked quilt and then added more colors with the chair, wall art and lamp. Go as far as you dare! No rules.

STILL DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO?

Involve your teen - I’m sure they have a strong opinion on how their room looks! Or, you can bring me on for a consultation, either in person if you’re in the greater Seattle area, or via video conference in you’re beyond. I’m sure I can guide you in the right direction!